Florence meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Florence boards review rezoning, lease, and housing proposals

Florence's City Council and several boards met over the past two weeks, but no minutes have been published yet, so no decisions are known. The agendas included rezoning requests, a lease agreement, housing incentives, and other items.

City Council (Aug. 10)

The council's agenda included second readings on a lease agreement with Pee Dee Healthy Start, Inc., and a rezoning of 107 South Homestead Drive from NC-6.1 to CR. First readings covered amendments to the Public Safety Citizen's Review Board ordinance and annexation and zoning of properties owned by The Grove at Ebenezer, LLC. Resolutions were also listed for SCDOT agreements on East Palmetto Street, US 52, South Church Street, and the Cashua Drive bridge, plus downtown redevelopment grants and a housing incentive in North Florence.

Planning Commission (Aug. 11)

The commission's agenda included a request to rezone five parcels at 206, 208, 210, 211, and 212 Kuker Street from CR to CBD. Other items were zoning a parcel at 2711 Ascot Drive as NC-15, a parcel on Stratton Drive as NC-6.3, and rezoning eighteen parcels on North Aiken Drive from NC-6.2 to CG. Some of these are pending annexation.

Design Review Board (Aug. 12)

The board considered a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior renovations at 509 West Pine Street in the D-4 Timrod Park Overlay District.

Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee (Aug. 12)

The committee's agenda was to approve minutes from September 10, 2025, select a chair, and discuss a presentation date and time for accommodations tax matters.

Business Development Committee (Aug. 13)

The agenda included approval of July 23, 2026 minutes, an update from the Florence Chamber on small business, a monthly Urban Square update by Styx Co., and a general discussion on business development needs. The next meeting was set for September 17, 2026.

Opioid Response Commission (Aug. 20)

The commission met to select a chair and discuss general opioid response efforts. An executive session was listed for discussion of a contractual matter.

Coming up

• **Community Development Committee (Aug. 26):** The committee will hear a presentation on the Florence Neighborhood Revitalization Plan Update by Jesse Wiles of APD Urban Planning and Management.
• **Board of Zoning Appeals (Aug. 27):** The board will hold a public hearing on a variance request for a swimming pool or spa at 2647 Trotter Road, seeking relief from rear setback requirements in the NC-15 zoning district.

All recent meetings are listed as agenda-only; minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes are not known.

Florence City Council to vote on lease, rezoning, housing incentives

The only formal decision recorded in Florence this week was the approval of meeting minutes by the Business Development Committee on July 29. The committee also received updates on Community Development Block Grant projects, the planned demolition of 215 E. Darlington Street, and the Florence Neighborhood Plan Summary Report. No other recent meetings produced published decisions; several were agenda-only or had minutes not yet released.

Recent meetings

Business Development Committee (July 29) – Approved minutes from the June 24, 2026, meeting. The committee also heard updates on CDBG projects, the demolition of 215 E. Darlington Street, and the Florence Neighborhood Plan Summary Report.

Finance, Audit & Budget Committee (July 29) – Agenda included discussion of banking services and opioid funding. The meeting was procedural and discussion-based; no minutes have been published.

Board of Zoning Appeals (July 30) – The agenda included public hearings on two variance requests: one for relief from residential parking requirements at 1032 Middleton Street (NC-6.1 district) and another for variances from minimum lot area and width to create a lot behind 1300 and 1304 West Palmetto Street (NC-15 district). The board also considered approval of minutes from its June 25 regular meeting. No decisions have been reported.

Parks and Beautification Commission (Aug. 6) – The agenda included public appearances for Cartoon in the Park (Timrod) by Jody Ramson and Harvest in the Park by Denise Flippen-Stewart (C.A.V.E.), committee reports on the Tree Removal Request Program, Annual Plan, By-Laws, Arbor Day, and Florence Trails, and oversight updates for more than 20 parks, including Veterans Park, Freedom Florence, Dr. Iola Jones Park, Jeffries Creek Park, and the Soccer Complex. No decisions have been reported.

Coming up

City Council (Aug. 10) – The council will hold its regular meeting with several items up for consideration. Second readings are scheduled for a lease agreement with Pee Dee Healthy Start, Inc., and a rezoning of 107 South Homestead Drive from NC-6.1 to CR. First readings are planned for an amendment to the Public Safety Citizen's Review Board ordinance and the annexation and zoning of properties owned by The Grove at Ebenezer, LLC. The council will also consider resolutions for downtown redevelopment grants, a housing incentive in North Florence, and multiple SCDOT agreements involving East Palmetto Street, US 52, South Church Street, and the Cashua Drive bridge. Some items may be discussed in executive session.

Planning Commission (Aug. 11) – Public hearings will be held on several rezoning requests: five parcels at 206, 208, 210, 211, and 212 Kuker Street from CR to CBD; a parcel at 2711 Ascot Drive to be zoned NC-15 pending annexation; a parcel on Stratton Drive to be zoned NC-6.3 pending annexation; and eighteen parcels on North Aiken Drive from NC-6.2 to CG.

Design Review Board (Aug. 12) – The board will consider a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior renovations at 509 West Pine Street in the D-4 Timrod Park Overlay District.

Florence boards weigh zoning variances, neighborhood revitalization as summer meetings continue

Recent meetings

Four Florence boards and committees met over the past two weeks, but official minutes have not yet been published for any of them. Because only agendas are available, the city has not yet confirmed what was decided — including whether votes were taken on two zoning variance requests heard by the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Board of Zoning Appeals — July 30

The Board of Zoning Appeals scheduled public hearings on two variance requests:

• **BZA-2026-13** — a request for relief from residential parking requirements at **1032 Middleton Street**, located in the NC-6.1 district.
• **BZA-2026-14** — a request for variances from minimum lot area and width requirements to create a new lot behind **1300 and 1304 West Palmetto Street**, in the NC-15 district.

The agenda also included approval of minutes from the board's June 25, 2026 regular meeting. No vote tallies or outcomes are available yet because minutes have not been published.

Business Development Committee — July 23

The Business Development Committee agenda listed approval of June 25, 2026 minutes, a monthly update on the Urban Square project from Styx Co., a general discussion of business development needs, and consideration of recommendations to City Council. Minutes are not yet published, so it is not confirmed which items were acted on.

Community Development Committee — July 29

A separate committee meeting covered community development topics. The agenda included an update on house demolition and preservation plans for a historical property, and a presentation of the Florence Neighborhood Revitalization Plan update by Jesse Wiles of APD Urban Planning and Management. No outcomes are confirmed.

Finance, Audit & Budget Committee — July 29

The Finance, Audit & Budget Committee agenda listed a Banking RFP discussion and an opioid funding discussion, along with a review of minutes and general discussion of the city's financial needs. The agenda describes the meeting as primarily procedural and discussion-based. No dollar figures or decisions are available.

Coming up

Two meetings are scheduled in the next two weeks:

• **Aug. 11 — Planning Commission:** Public hearings on multiple rezoning requests, including **PC-2026-22** to rezone five parcels at 206, 208, 210, 211, and 212 Kuker Street from CR to CBD; **PC-2026-23** to zone a parcel at 2711 Ascot Drive as NC-15 (pending annexation); **PC-2026-24** to zone a parcel on Stratton Drive as NC-6.3 (pending annexation); and **PC-2026-25** to rezone eighteen parcels on North Aiken Drive from NC-6.2 to CG.
• **Aug. 12 — Design Review Board:** Consideration of **DRB-2026-12**, a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior renovations at **509 West Pine Street** in the D-4 Timrod Park Overlay District.

Residents who want confirmed outcomes from the July meetings should watch for published minutes from the city. Agendas are available through the city's official meeting portal.

Florence boards weighed rezoning, demolitions, and subdivisions; outcomes pending

Three Florence boards and commissions met over the past two weeks to consider zoning changes, historic-district projects, and property subdivisions. Because minutes have not yet been published for any of the meetings, only the items on each agenda can be reported; final votes and outcomes are not yet available in the public record.

City Council — July 13

Florence City Council's regular meeting agenda included several zoning and lease items:

• **Bill No. 2026-25**: Second reading to rezone 901 Rose Street from NC-6.1 to NC-6.2.
• **Bill No. 2026-17**: First reading to extend a lease agreement with Pee Dee Healthy Start, Inc.
• **Bill No. 2026-27**: First reading to rezone 107 South Homestead Drive from NC-6.1 to CR.
• **Resolution No. 2026-32**: Proclaiming August 2–8, 2026 as National Health Center Week.
• **Executive Session**: Discussion regarding the noise ordinance and a proposed Economic Development Project.

The Rose Street rezoning reached second reading, meaning it was further along in the approval process than the South Homestead Drive rezoning and the Pee Dee Healthy Start lease extension, which were both scheduled for first reading. Whether any of these items passed is not yet confirmed in published minutes.

Design Review Board — July 8

The Design Review Board scheduled public hearings and votes on two Certificate of Appropriateness requests:

• **DRB-2026-10**: Request to construct an event space at 124 West Evans Street, located in the H-1 Historic District.
• **DRB-2026-11**: Request to demolish a building at 314 Warley Street, located in the D-4 Timrod Park Overlay District.

The board also planned to approve minutes from its April 15, 2026 regular meeting. Outcomes of the two certificate requests are not yet available.

Planning Commission — July 14

The Planning Commission agenda listed three property-related requests:

• **PC-2026-19**: Commercial easement for a subdivision at 513 South Coit Street.
• **PC-2026-20**: Commercial easement for a subdivision at 2925 West Palmetto Street.
• **PC-2026-21**: Sketch plan review for a subdivision along Stokes Road.

Sketch plan review is typically an early step in the subdivision approval process. Final commission actions are not yet recorded in published minutes.

Coming up

Board of Zoning Appeals — July 23: The board will hold public hearings and vote on two variance requests. The first, BZA-2026-13, seeks relief from residential parking requirements at 1032 Middleton Street in the NC-6.1 district. The second, BZA-2026-14, asks for variances from minimum lot area and width requirements to create a new lot behind 1300 and 1304 West Palmetto Street in the NC-15 district. The board will also consider approving minutes from its June 25, 2026 regular meeting.

Residents can attend the upcoming Board of Zoning Appeals meeting to hear or speak on the two variance requests. Check the City of Florence website for meeting time and location details.